grrm.astormofswords-第109章

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　〃The　lands　beyond　the　Wall　cannot　support　vast　numbers；〃　said　Lord　Tywin　firmly。　〃This　warning　is　not　new。〃
　〃This　last　is；　my　lord。　Mormont　sent　a　bird　from　the　haunted　forest；　to　report　that　he　was　under　attack。　More　ravens　have　returned　since；　but　none　with　letters。　This　Bowen　Marsh　fears　Lord　Mormont　slain；　with　all　his　strength。〃
　Tyrion　had　rather　liked　old　Jeor　Mormont；　with　his　gruff　manner　and　talking　bird。　〃Is　this　certain？〃　he　asked。
　〃It　is　not；〃　Pycelle　admitted；　〃but　none　of　Mormont's　men　have　returned　as　yet。　Marsh　fears　the　wildlings　have　killed　them；　and　that　the　Wall　itself　may　be　attacked　next。〃　He　fumbled　in　his　robe　and　found　the　paper。　〃Here　is　his　letter；　my　lord；　a　plea　to　all　five　kings。　He　wants　men；　as　many　men　as　we　can　send　him。〃
　〃Five　kings？〃　His　father　was　annoyed。　〃There　is　one　king　in　Westeros。　Those　fools　in　black　might　try　and　remember　that　if　they　wish　His　Grace　to　heed　them。　When　you　reply；　tell　him　that　Renly　is　dead　and　the　others　are　traitors　and　pretenders。〃
　〃No　doubt　they　will　be　glad　to　learn　it。　The　Wall　is　a　world　apart；　and　news　oft　reaches　them　late。〃　Pycelle　bobbed　his　head　up　and　down。　〃What　shall　I　tell　Marsh　concerning　the　men　he　begs　for？　Shall　we　convene　the　council　。　。　。
　〃There　is　no　need。　The　Night's　Watch　is　a　pack　of　thieves；　killers；　and　baseborn　churls；　but　it　occurs　to　me　that　they　could　prove　otherwise；　given　proper　discipline。　If　Mormont　is　indeed　dead；　the　black　brothers　must　choose　a　new　Lord　mander。〃
　Pycelle　gave　Tyrion　a　sly　glance。　〃An　excellent　thought；　my　lord。　I　know　the　very　man。　Janos　Slynt。〃
　Tyrion　liked　that　notion　not　at　all。　〃The　black　brothers　choose　their　own　mander；〃　he　reminded　them。　〃Lord　Slynt　is　new　to　the　Wall。　I　know；　I　sent　him　there。　Why　should　they　pick　him　over　a　dozen　more　senior　men？〃
　〃Because；〃　his　father　said；　in　a　tone　that　suggested　Tyrion　was　quite　the　simpleton；　〃if　they　do　not　vote　as　they　are　told；　their　Wall　will　melt　before　it　sees　another　man。〃
　Yes；　that　would　work。　Tyrion　hitched　forward。　〃Janos　Slynt　is　the　wrong　man；　Father。　We'd　do　better　with　the　mander　of　the　Shadow　Tower。　Or　Eastwatch…by…the…Sea。〃
　〃The　mander　of　the　Shadow　Tower　is　a　Mallister　of　Seagard。　Eastwatch　is　held　by　an　ironman。〃　Neither　would　serve　his　purposes；　Lord　Tywin's　tone　said　clear　enough。
　〃Janos　Slynt　is　a　butcher's　son；〃　Tyrion　reminded　his　father　forcefully。　〃You　yourself　told　me…〃
　〃I　recall　what　I　told　you。　Castle　Black　is　not　Harrenhal；　however。　The　Night's　Watch　is　not　the　king's　council。　There　is　a　tool　for　every　task；　and　a　task　for　every　tool。〃
　Tyrion's　anger　flashed。　〃Lord　Janos　is　a　hollow　suit　of　armor　who　will　sell　himself　to　the　highest　bidder。〃
　〃I　count　that　a　point　in　his　favor。　Who　is　like　to　bid　higher　than　us？〃　He　turned　to　Pycelle。　〃Send　a　raven。　Write　that　King　Joffrey　was　deeply　saddened　to　hear　of　Lord　mander　Mormont's　death；　but　regrets　that　he　can　spare　no　men　just　now；　whilst　so　many　rebels　and　usurpers　remain　in　the　field。　Suggest　that　matters　might　be　quite　different　once　the　throne　is　secure　。　。　。　provided　the　king　has　full　confidence　in　the　leadership　of　the　Watch。　In　closing；　ask　Marsh　to　pass　along　His　Grace's　fondest　regards　to　his　faithful　friend　and　servant　。；　Lord　Janos　Slynt。〃
　〃Yes；　my　lord。〃　Pycelle　bobbed　his　withered　head　once　more。　〃I　shall　write　as　the　Hand　mands。　With　great　pleasure。〃
　I　should　have　trimmed　his　head；　not　his　beard；　Tyrion　reflected。　And　Slynt　should　have　gone　for　a　swim　with　his　dear　friend　Allar　Deem。　At　least　he　had　not　made　the　same　foolish　mistake　with　Symon　Silver　Tongue。　See　there；　Father？　he　wanted　to　shout。　See　how　fast　I　learn　my　lessons？
　
　CHAPTER　33
　SAMWELL
　
　Up　in　the　loft　a　woman　was　giving　birth　noisily；　while　below　a　man　lay　dying　by　the　fire。　Samwell　Tarly　could　not　say　which　frightened　him　more。
　They'd　covered　poor　Barmen　with　a　pile　of　furs　and　stoked　the　fire　high；　yet　all　he　could　say　was；　〃I'm　cold。　Please。　I'm　so　cold。〃　Sam　was　trying　to　feed　him　onion　broth；　but　he　could　not　swallow。　The　broth　dribbled　over　his　lips　and　down　his　chin　as　fast　as　Sam　could　spoon　it　in。
　〃That　one's　dead。〃　Craster　eyed　the　man　with　indifference　as　he　worried　at　a　sausage。　〃Be　kinder　to　stick　a　knife　in　his　chest　than　that　spoon　down　his　throat；　you　ask　me。〃
　〃I　don't　recall　as　we　did。〃　Giant　was　no　more　than　five　feet　tall…his　true　name　was　Bedwyck…but　a　fierce　little　man　for　all　that。　〃Slayer；　did　you　ask　Craster　for　his　counsel？〃
　Sam　cringed　at　the　name；　but　shook　his　head。　He　filled　another　spoon；　brought　it　to　Barmen's　mouth；　and　tried　to　ease　it　between　his　lips。
　〃Food　and　fire；〃　Giant　was　saying；　〃that　was　all　we　asked　of　you。　And　you　grudge　us　the　food。〃
　〃Be　glad　I　didn't　grudge　you　fire　too。〃　Craster　was　a　thick　man　made　thicker　by　the　ragged　smelly　sheepskins　he　wore　day　and　night。　He　had　a　broad　flat　nose；　a　mouth　that　drooped　to　one　side；　and　a　missing　ear。　And　though　his　matted　hair　and　tangled　beard　might　be　grey　going　white；　his　hard　knuckly　hands　still　looked　strong　enough　to　hurt。　〃I　fed　you　what　I　could；　but　you　crows　are　always　hungry。　I'm　a　godly　man；　else　I　would　have　chased　you　off。　You　think　I　need　the　likes　of　him；　dying　on　my　floor？　You　think　I　need　all　your　mouths；　little　man？〃　The　wildling　spat。　〃Crows。　When　did　a　black　bird　ever　bring　good　to　a　man's　hall；　I　ask　you？　Never。　Never。〃
　More　broth　ran　from　the　corner　of　Barmen's　mouth。　Sam　dabbed　it　away　with　a　corner　of　his　sleeve。　The　ranger's　eyes　were　open　but　unseeing。　〃I'm　cold；〃　he　said　again；　so　faintly。　A　maester　might　have　known　how　to　save　him；　but　they　had　no　maester。　Kedge　Whiteye　had　taken　Barmen's　mangled　foot　off　nine　days　past；　in　a　gout　of　pus　and　blood　that　made　Sam　sick；　but　it　was　too　little；　too　late。　〃I'm　so　cold；〃　the　pale　lips　repeated。
　About　the　hall；　a　ragged　score　of　black　brothers　squatted　on　the　floor　or　sat　on　rough…hewn　benches；　drinking　cups　of　the　same　thin　onion　broth　and　gnawing　on　chunks　of　hardbread。　A　couple　were　wounded　worse　than　Bannen；　to　look　at　them。　Fornio　had　been　delirious　for　days；　and　Ser　Byam's　shoulder　was　oozing　a　foul　yellow　pus。　When　they'd　left　Castle　Black；　Brown　Bernarr　had　been　carrying　bags　of　Myrish　fire；　mustard　salve；　ground　garlic；　tansy；　poppy；　kingscopper；　and　other　healing　herbs。　Even　sweetsleep；　which　gave　the　gift　of　painless　death。　But　Brown　Bernarr　had　died　on　the　Fist　and　no　one　had　thought　to　search　for　Maester　Aemon's　medicines。　Hake　had　known　some　herblore　as　well；　being　a　cook；　but　Hake　was　also　lost。　So　it　was　left　to　the　surviving　stewards　to　do　what　they　could　for　the　wounded；　which　was　little　enough。　At　least　they　are　dry　here；　with　a　fire　to　warm　them。　They　need　more　food；　though。
　They　all　needed　more　food。　The　men　had　been　grumbling　for　days。　Clubfoot　Karl　kept　saying　how　Craster　had　to　have　a　hidden　larder；　and　Garth　of　Oldtown　had　begun　to　echo　him；　when　he　was　out　of　the　Lord　mander's　hearing。　Sam　had　thought　of　begging　for　something　more　nourishing　for　the　wounded　men　at　least；　but　he　did　not　have　the　courage。　Craster's　eyes　were　cold　and　mean；　and　whenever　the　wildling　looked　his　way　his　hands　twitched　a　little；　as　if　they　wanted　to　curl　up　into　fists。　Does　he　know　I　spoke　to　Gilly；　the　last　time　we　were　here？　he　wondered。　Did　she　tell　him　I　said　we'd　take　her？　Did　he　beat　it　out　of　her？
　〃I'm　cold；〃　said　Barmen。　〃Please。　I'm　cold。〃
　For　all　the　heat　and　smoke　in　Craster's　hall；　Sam　felt　cold　himself。　And　tired；　so　tired。　He　needed　sleep；　but　whenever　he　closed　his　eyes　he　dreamed　of　blowing　snow　and　dead　men　shambling　toward　him　with　black　hands　and　bright　blue　eyes。
　Up　in　the　loft；　Gilly　let　out　a　shuddering　sob　that　echoed　down　the　long　low　windowless　hall。　〃Push；〃　he　heard　one　of　Craster's　older　wives　tell　her。　〃Harder。　Harder。　Scream　if　it　helps。〃　She　did；　so　loud　it　made　Sam　wince。
　Craster　turned　his　head　to　glare。　〃I've　had　a　bellyful　o'　that　shrieking；〃　he　shouted　up。　〃Give　her　a　rag　to　bite　down　on；　or　I'll　e　up　there　and　give　her　a　taste　o'　my　hand。〃
　He　would　too；　Sam　knew。　Craster　had　nineteen　wives；　but　none　who'd　dare　interfere　once　he　started　up　that　ladder。　No　more　than　the　black　brothers　had　two　nights　past；　when　he　was　beatin